Nissan 370Z Reviews from North America

2012 Nissan 370Z Touring Sport VQ37VHR

Summary:

Fantastic fun driver's car

Faults:

The clutch slave cylinder needs to be replaced with an entirely different after market unit due to repeated failures.

On hard (and I do mean hard) right hand corners, the fuel moves to one side of the tank so far that even with 3/4 of a full tank you will see fuel starvation. This makes track use hard without spending thousands for an after market fix.

The car needs an after market oil cooler for track use; it will overheat and go in to limp mode very quickly.

Oil galley gaskets. Nissan used cheap paper gaskets in this area, causing a drop in oil pressure when they finally break. Gaskets themselves are cheap, but the labor is expensive.

Steering lock failure (09-11 models) (not my car, but common for people looking to buy an earlier model).

General Comments:

The car has a very good supply of after market performance and appearance products available.

The wheel wells allow for very big rubber on all 4 corners with after market wheels.

Generally a fun fast car that is very good at supplying the driver with a raw unfiltered driving experience that most sports cars today do not provide.

A great car for tall people. I'm 6'6" and I do not fit in a Miata (I can't even close the door) or an S2000. I fit comfortably in this car, making it a great choice for tall drivers.

While the interior looks a bit more modern than the 350Z, it is a bit busier; the simplistic driver focused interior was one of my favorite things of the 350Z, and one thing I wish the 370Z would have kept. I'm sure this was brought on by tons of reviews saying the 350Z interior was horrible. It's personal preference.

Tons of room in the hatch for stuff. I regularly go to Costco and get 2 weeks worth of food and fit it all in my car.

The handling on this car is fantastic, and only gets better with wider rims and stickier tires.

2009 Nissan 370Z Touring/Sport Pkg 3.7L V6

Summary:

Superb!

Faults:

The only quality issue with the car is that the satellite radio antenna rattles against the metal on the roof, causing a high frequency vibration/rattling noise. Took it to the dealership twice for fixing. The dealership first performed a really poor job of stuffing packing insulation in the headliner. This did not correct the rattle, and left an odd bulge. The dealership also saw it fit to drive the car 50 miles for an issue that can be observed before you get out of the parking lot. I was furious.

The second attempt to fix it also failed. I believe the dealership is trying to milk the warranty reimbursement from the manufacturer. My complaints are with the dealership, not necessarily an easy fix to an obvious 1st generation model issue - this is really very minor.

Otherwise the car is absolutely fantastic!

General Comments:

Well I owned the 2008 350Z (think there's just 1 comment on CarSurvey...that's my old Z). I loved the 350Z, but the 370Z is virtually an improvement in every single area except for visibility. You can't see anything outside the car, especially from the rear. I suppose that's a trade off for gorgeous design in my opinion anyway.

The handling far exceeds the 350Z, and the acceleration is no comparison out of the 3.7L V-6. The engine does get a bit harsh at the highest allowed RPM's, and I don't care for the automatic transmission, but I am biased (auto is a wife compromise). The auto tends to jump to gears much lower than I really care to utilize, but the easy fix is simply opt for the manual!

The interior shortcomings have been improved, as the 370Z ergonomics and interior are high quality and very pleasant. I do prefer the 350Z cloth seat as opposed to the leather/suede insert of the 370Z. At the end of the day, I'll take the 370Z hands down. I highly recommend this car if you have the means to acquire one!

26th Apr 2013, 18:43

Update -

I am selling my 370Z. It's been a relatively good car and my previous review should illustrate it as such. However, it is 2013 and the sports car world is looking more and more enthusiastic. The 370Z, for all its steering and braking accolades, is a bit harsh with regard to ride comfort, road noise, automatic transmission response, and the engine is coarse. I am very interested to see if Nissan will take the 2015 Z back to its inline 6 cylinder, lightweight (smaller) body roots.

I just drove a Subaru BRZ, and while not deadly in the straight line 0-60, it's breathtaking with regard to utter handling. It's a true sports car sans the neck snapping acceleration, which is mostly what the Z can offer. Sports cars have to give you that giddy, childlike smile on your face - my old 350Z did this better for me.

20th Mar 2016, 18:49

As an owner of a 2008 350Z and a driver of a 370Z, I can tell you while the power might be better than a vq35de 350Z (2003-2006), it's not that much of an improvement over the vq35hr (2007-2008).

I have owned a 2006 and now a 2008 Nismo, and the Nismo handles leaps and bounds better than the 370Z (I frequently drive a family members 2012 370Z). That being said, it is a rare model. If people are like me and prefer the 350Z styling over the 370Z, it's something to look at if you are concerned about the performance.